


Two Plant Ducks Meet

by Snowish



Category: Darkwing Duck (Cartoon)
Genre: also for villains being Good surrogate parents, i'm a sucker for oc and canon interacting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-03
Updated: 2017-08-03
Packaged: 2018-12-10 14:39:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11693784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snowish/pseuds/Snowish
Summary: Reginald Bushroot had accepted he was one of a kind a while ago. It's not like many ducks would be jumping up to be in his shoes, anyway. It was to be expected he become a villain--who in the general public would put up with a mutant like him?But then he discovers a young individual hiding in a dumpster. Now he has to really consider his motives, because this is just a kid after all!----------Short little thing involving one of my DWD OCs meeting Bushroot! I dunno if I'll make this a bigger thing yet, so just take this for now.





	Two Plant Ducks Meet

St. Canard was such a lovely place during the springtime. The trees were healthy, the grass was thriving, and the flowers smelled absolutely wonderful.

However, on this particular day, not even the soft scent of roses could mask the disgusting aroma that drifted down Plume Street. Drivers had their windows up and the AC running. Pedestrians went from walking to a full-on jog just to pass through before breathing in too much.

The only person who didn’t seem absolutely repelled by the stench was a cloaked individual making his way carefully down the sidewalk. Normally, he would have worn a hat and kept his collar up in order to mask his odd appearance, but upon noticing the streets were oddly empty, he had done away with that part of his disguise.

 

“Gee, what’s with everyone today?” He asked to nobody in particular. He glanced around, not used to an area of the town being so deserted.

He found his answer after taking a few more steps, finally noticing the stench that had seeped into the air. Though he did recoil at first, he paused, frowning. Was it just him, or did he detect a planty undertone to the smell?

The individual was one Reginald Bushroot. Though previously an esteemed research scientist, he had to leave his old life due to a failed experiment. Now he was known throughout the city as just Bushroot, the plant-controlling duck who also happened to be part of the Fearsome Five.

“I’ve gotta find out what’s going on here.” He mumbled. Having a wide knowledge of various plants, he knew that certain species could create this smell in order to attract insects… But St. Canard lacked the environment for those to grow naturally, so was it really a plant?

 

Braving the intensity of the odor, Bushroot hurried down the path, surprised to find he was led to a wide alley. At the very back of the alley stood a large dumpster.

Bushroot paused, not sure if he should proceed. Was all he smelling just a can of compost? Surely that wouldn’t be bad enough to clear out several blocks, though.

He was still in the middle of thinking his next action when a noise derailed his train of thought. He heard crying. And it was coming from the dumpster. The last time he checked, compost didn’t cry (well, unless he wanted it to, he supposed).

Finally deciding to take the plunge, he stepped forward into shadows of the alley, his heart pounding. He didn’t know what awaited him, and he wasn’t sure if he _wanted_ to know. But it was too late to turn back now.

It didn’t take him long to reach the dumpster, and the proximity both increased the severity of the smell and the volume of the sniffles. Bushroot extended an arm to lift part of the lid, but then stopped, thinking better. With a trembling leafy hand, he knocked firmly on the dumpster’s top.

Immediately, the sniffles stopped, but Bushroot could have sworn the smell had gotten just a little bit stronger. His eyes were starting to water, but he did his best to remain standing.

Slowly, with a metallic creak, the dumpster lid opened.

 

“Who’s there?” A voice croaked.

Bushroot was able to realize several things in that moment.

 

One: The smell was indeed emanating from the figure in the dumpster.

Two: The voice was young, likely a child.

Three: The hand holding the lid open was leaved, much like his own.

 

Bushroot didn’t respond at first, stunned by what he saw. When he did try to speak, the only noises the came out of his bill were splutters.

“Y-yo-you’re-you-you’re a--”

Confused by the stranger’s reaction, the one hiding inside shifted, so they could peer out properly. If Bushroot wasn’t surprised earlier, he was now.

A small duck, looking to be about high school age, was staring at him with puffy red eyes. Their feathers were a pale green with darker spots around their face and  shoulders. Their head, however, was the most eye-catching part of them.

Nestled plainly on the very top of their head was a miniature corpse flower, which Bushroot could only assume was the source of the smell. The leaves around it were a dry, dark red, looking as if they were about to wilt, but… Still lively.

 

“You’re green like me.” Bushroot finally finished, not sure what else to say.

The duck eyed him cautiously, as he still wore his coat, but seemed to relax upon noticing the purple fuzz on his head and his own leafy hands.

“Why are you hiding in the dumpster?” He asked, backing up so they could slip out and stand in the alley with him.

“Um,” They wrung their hands a bit, flinching when the dumpster’s lid slammed shut beside them. “I thought it’d be enough to hide my scent, but… I guess if somebody found me, it didn’t work.”

“Got that right.” Bushroot said, then rubbed the back of his head when he noticed how they reacted to his comment. “Um… Can I get your name?”

 

“Lisa.” They answered quietly. “You?”

“Reginald Bushroot.” Bushroot extended a hand to shake, but Lisa didn’t take it. Their eyes widened when he said his name.

“Y-You… I remember you! You were that scientist who worked at the academy. But then you disappeared one day.”

Bushroot pursed his lips, wondering if they knew that he was now a villain.

“I was such a fan. Your research in plants inspired my ninth grade science project!” Lisa stood on the tips of their toes, actually looking a bit happy, which was a quick turnaround from their initial mood. It didn’t last long, however.

 

“But… Then this happened.” They gestured at themself, indicating their green hue. “I guess now I understand why you vanished, because…” They trailed off, then dropped to the ground, holding their knees to their chest and sitting against the dumpster’s wall.

At this information, Bushroot raised his eyebrows. Had they been changed because of an experiment?

“What kind of project were you doing?” He couldn’t help but ask.

“I… I was working with a corpse flower and trying to find out ways to naturally decrease the scent. It wasn’t supposed to be anything big, just something with plants, since I like them so much. But my dad works at a genetics lab and sometimes stores his work in the garage, and…

I was work-working in there and I guess I-I-I mixed the wrong st-stuff, because when I sprayed it into the-the air…” They began to sob, and their shoulders shook. Unable to continue talking, they covered their face.

 

Bushroot wasn’t sure what to say, so he sat down next to them and cautiously patted their back. It took a few minutes for them to calm down, but they were able to continue speaking, though it was muffled by their hands.

“My parents tried to help out, but… They just didn’t know what to do. I didn’t want them to worry about me too much, so I left.”

Bushroot blinked, and stared down the alleyway, noting the streets were still quite empty. Lisa’s smell had increased when they had started to cry, but diminished once they had relaxed. Apparently the scent was controlled by their level of stress.

“I kind of just wander the town.” Lisa finally sighed. “Take care of myself, mainly.”

Bushroot made a noise, still not sure what to say. He really didn’t feel right hearing that Lisa had no home, but it’s not like he could help out.

 

Or _could_ he?

 

“I’ve got an idea,” He suddenly said, standing up. “How’s about you come with me? I’ve got a greenhouse I use as a base sometimes. A kid like you really shouldn’t be on the street, and us plant ducks gotta stick together.”

Lisa stared at him warily, not quite sure if they should.

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to,” He tried to assure them. “I just… Figured it’s better than hiding in a dumpster.” He remembered what it felt like to have to hide from other people--he still felt it, actually. When he wanted to go for a walk in the city, he had to don a disguise, lest he send people running.

“Are you sure you don’t mind? I mean… This plant on my head is probably gonna stink up the place.” They mumbled.

“It’ll be fine,” He insisted. He was already getting rather used to the aroma, and figured the plants wouldn’t mind since they didn’t have noses. He stood up and offered his hand, and Lisa took it.

“Okay then.” They said, smiling for the first time since meeting him.

**Author's Note:**

> Please Protect Lisa..........
> 
> Anyway if you wanna see more of Lisa, then they have a tag over on my tumblr: http://snow-ish.tumblr.com/tagged/lisa-rosid


End file.
